It’s lonely at the top, but no one at the University of Denver is complaining.

The Pioneers led wire-to-wire on the way to a 65-37 win against overmatched Louisiana-Monroe in front of 5,381 fans in Magness Arena.

With that victory — and a loss by Arkansas State on Thursday against Louisiana-Lafayette — DU (13-13, 9-4 Sun Belt) is in sole possession of the SBC West Division.

Coach Joe Scott had a mandate for his team, that it win its home games down the stretch, and so far, the Pioneers have answered the call. DU has not lost at Magness since Dec. 11 and is on a nine-game win streak there.

DU plays its last home game of the regular season Sunday, hosting South Alabama (10-14, 4-8).

“It’s critical that we finish this schedule the right way at home,” Scott said. “If we can do that on Sunday, we can put ourselves right where we want to be. To be that team, we have to go on the road and win some games.”

The Pioneers wrap up the regular season on the road next week, facing Louisiana-Lafayette next Thursday and North Texas on Feb. 26.

The objective is to finish atop the division standings and gain a first-round bye in the first round of the conference tournament.

The Pioneers shot 54.5 percent from the field in the first half while holding the Warhawks (6-22, 1-13) to 28.6 percent for a 36-18 halftime lead.

The Warhawks’ 37 points were the second-fewest allowed by DU this season. Arkansas State had 36 on Jan. 20.

DU junior guard Brian Stafford led with 14 points, including 3-for-6 from 3-point range. He also added five assists and five rebounds.

“It’s good to be back in the driver’s seat,” Stafford said. “Our focus is on ourselves. It’s not about the other team. It’s about doing what we need to do to get better.”

The Pioneers gained a 20-1 advantage in second-chance points, even though only two of their 22 rebounds were off the offensive glass.

“Everybody shoots 50 percent against us,” Louisiana- Monroe coach Keith Richard said. “DU plays very well in here. They were good tonight. On a given night, they can beat anybody in the league.”

Irv Moss worked as a full-time reporter for The Denver Post from 1956 until his retirement in 2016, making him one of the longest-serving journalists in the country. He first worked for the newspaper as a copy boy in early 1953, twice leaving the paper to do some electrician work, before returning in 1956. He covered every sport in the state of Colorado in his 60-year career, including the Colorado Rockies, Olympics, and high school sports.

After watching Air Force kick the CU Buffaloes’ tail, not to mention their undefeated record, into the wild, blue yonder, here’s a legitimate question: How in the world is the Pac-12 recognized as a Power Five football conference?